HeartShaped Boxes
by Ryoko Metallium
Summary: Collections of romantic drabbles between Shepard and Garrus. Covers events in all three games and beyond. Possible AU moments in the future.
1. Bliss

Title: Heart-Shaped Boxes

Author: Ryoko Metallium

**Author Notes: This is my first attempt at a "modest" sex scene so please be kind. This takes place before the attack on the Collector base.**

**Disclaimer: Mass Effect is the property of Bioware and EA Inc. I do not own these characters. I am only borrowing the characters. I promise that I will give them back.**

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**Chapter One: Bliss**

"_Wake you up in the middle of the night_

_To say I will never walk away again_

_I'm never gonna leave this bed"_

_Maroon 5 – 'Never Gonna Leave This Bed'_

Shepard, panting hard and heavy stared up at the skylight just over her bed. She watched the energy expulsion from the FTL drives runoff the Normandy's armor, blurring and evaporating into the darkness of space. She stared into the vast empty void of the galaxy as the millions of stars and distant planets slowly past overhead. With her heart still pounding in her ears and the urge to sleep pressing down on her, she held the turian resting on top of her closer to her sweat-soaked body.

Garrus was just as worn out as she was. He was panting hard as well, his body stuttering with each breath. The full weight of him was pressing her into the mattress. His head was cushioned on top of her breast. Soft purrs of contentment rumbled in his throat as he listened to the rapid beats of her hearts steadily regulate. His breath was hot, so hot against her skin it gave her goose bumps. Shepard ran her fingertips along his leathery hide slowly, committing every curve and arch, every sketch and scar to memory. Their hands found each other in the dim light of her cabin, intertwining her five fingers with his three in a tight grip.

Eventually, Garrus found enough power to pull his head up and look into Shepard's green eyes. Her hair is tousled across the pillows, giving her a halo look. He stares at her for a second, his breathing still ragged. He looks seemingly dumbfounded, and his eyes softening. "You okay?"

His concern makes her smile widely. "You worried about my stamina, Vakarian?"

"Hardly. I already know that you can take it just as good as you can dish it out," he says sardonically in his usual tone. He tucks a stray strand of black hair out of her face as his eyes suddenly become intense. "Seriously though, are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He asks as if it was her first time. It is, in a way. It is her first time with a turian. Her bones feel like jelly and lifeless. She is sore and aches in places she never knew could hurt. Shepard squirms as a late coming tumor courses through her body. She can still feel him within her, stretching, filling her again. Whatever pain that she does feel, Shepard ignores it. She even welcomes it. The pain is exhilarating. It rejuvenates her hunger and desires, though she doubted she had the strength to go again.

Her hands cupped the back of Garrus's head, stroking him just underneath his fringe pulling him into a deep, hungry kiss. His breath hitches into a growling moan as he kisses her back. His tongue duels against hers and the taste it leaves behind is…unbelievably delicious.

In a short amount of time, the Normandy would make the jump through the Omega 4 relay. There was good chance that both of them weren't going to make it out alive. There was a good chance that she could lose him. The mere thought of that made her kiss him even longer, to keep him close and safe.

_Holy crap, I think I'm falling in love with a turian…_

At that moment, she vowed that the both of them would walk out of the Collector base together.

The turian eased away from her lips to look at her one more time, taking in the enticing sight of his mate smiling back at him. His blue eyes were beginning to droop as he laid back to rest his head on Shepard's chest. The rhythmic pound on her heart was lulling him into a state of peace. Shepard pulled the covers draped over them closer before wrapping her arms around her slumbering turian. Sleep was winning her over as well.

As the two of them waited out the final hours until their arrival, somewhere in Shepard's subconscious, she thought heard a husky voice say the words "I love you."


	2. I've Been Waiting

Title: Heart-Shaped Boxes

Author: Ryoko Metallium

**Author Notes: I was kinda disappointed that the love-triangle in Mass Effect 3 didn't have that much to it other than a couple of sentences. I wanted it be more confrontational and character driven. So, I decided to write one instead lol!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Mass Effect is the property of Bioware and EA Inc. I do not own these characters. I am only borrowing the characters. I promise that I will give them back.**

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**Chapter Two: I've Been Waiting**

"_I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited_

_But I couldn't stay away_

_I couldn't fight it_

_I had hope you would see my face and be reminded that for me_

_It isn't over"_

_Adele – "Someone Like You"_

Kaiden had never known himself to be the kind of guy to get jealous.

But having to watch Shepard and Garrus exchange goo-goo eyes whenever they passed by each other was starting to get on his last nerve.

Since coming back on the Normandy, he had been trying not to be bitter about the fact she had moved on onto somebody new. After the altercation they had back on Horizon, it was hardly surprising at all. In some strange way, Kaiden was happy that she at least settled down with someone who he knew would treat her right. Someone would treat her hell of a lot better than he did. With the chaos of the war being placed all her shoulders, Shepard needed all the moral support she could get.

So why couldn't she come to him?

They may not have been a couple anymore, but weren't they friends?

Didn't she trust him enough to come to him whenever she needed to vent?

Why couldn't he just be happy for her?

Because...he was still hopelessly in love with Commander Shepard.

The loneliness was eating at him worse than he realized whenever he saw the two of them together. Kaiden couldn't help but notice the little things at first; a playful smile here or a gentle stroke of the cheek there. They'd flirt shamelessly whenever possible, whether it was between missions or on the battlefield. He would cover her six, protect her, and she would do the same for him. He was there for her at every step and turn, and she welcomed him with open arms…completely unhindered.

Everything he used to do for Shepard, things that were once special to him, Kaiden had to watch another man do to a woman he loved more than anything instead.

And just the mere thought of that was making him feel crazy.

Crazy, frustrated, and above all, angry.

That anger finally got the best of him during their recent visit to the Citadel. Kaiden stepped into the elevator and pressed the call button to take him down to Purgatory. It stopped early at the Commons and to his chagrin, Garrus walked in to ride the rest of the way down. The two of them alone. Suddenly the atmosphere changed between them, charged with such an animosity that had been brewing for weeks. Neither one spoke to each other, even though there so much that needed to be said.

Kaiden's folded his arms across his chest. "How long?"

Garrus didn't bite.

"I said how long?" Kaiden asked again. "How long did you wait until you went after her? Was it after what happened on Horizon?"

"Why should it matter to you?" said Garrus finally. "If I remember correctly, you're the one who pushed her away. I'm not as well-versed in human behavior as I would I like, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't she was expecting when she saw you.

Kaiden's stomach knotted. "I know that. I know that I hurt her, and I apologized for it."

"Good."

There was a long stretch of silence. Was there something wrong with the elevator? Why was it taking so long?

"Is she happy atleast?" Kaiden's voice sounded restraint, sorrowful. "I mean...is she okay?"

"She's happy, Alenko. Atleast I like to think so. I haven't heard any complaints yet."

The elevator finally came to stop and the voice over the intercom announced their arrival at Purgatory. Kaiden didn't step off right away; instead he stood rooted to the floor, thinking of the next clever thing to say. Not one to wait, Garrus brushed past him and made his way towards the entrance.

"I still love her, Garrus," Kaiden called out, halting the turian in his stride. "I don't need you or anybody else to tell me how badly I've messed things up between us. But I am going to fix it. Before this war is over, I'm going to get her back."

"Is that a threat, Major?" Garrus implied, crossing his own arms in defiance. "Or a promise?"

"Consider it both." The elevator doors began to close as Kaiden continued to glare at his rival. "I want her back, Vakarian. I want her back…and I want you gone."


End file.
